


Best Boy

by ShadowSakazaki (Chromata)



Category: Hatoful Kareshi | Hatoful Boyfriend
Genre: Idol games, Legumentine's Day, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-04
Updated: 2019-02-04
Packaged: 2019-10-22 11:26:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17661689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chromata/pseuds/ShadowSakazaki
Summary: Hitori is introduced to idol games... and his own feelings.





	Best Boy

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Legumentine's Day! This is my gift for Mei (@_milkyskies) for the Twitter Legumentine's exchange. It's been too long since my last Hatoful fic and I haven't written quail boyfriends before, but here's hoping I did them justice.

               “Full combo!”

               Hitori looked up from the pot of stew he was making to see Kazuaki beaming as he looked at his phone.  “Another game?”

               “I’ve been trying for ages to beat this song!  I’m so happy!”

               “I’m glad.”

               Nageki, doing his homework at the table in the living room, looked up.  “Congratulations.”

               “You were having a hard time with it too, weren’t you, Nageki?” Kazuaki asked.

               Nageki nodded.  “It’s hard, but I’m getting better at it.”

               “You mean you’re into rhythm games too?” Hitori asked.

               “Mm.  They can be a lot of fun… but not always.”

               “Gachas…” Kazuaki sighed.  “Five hundred gems spent, and Legumentine’s Day Haru still won’t come home!”

               “I… see,” Hitori murmured, turning his attention back to the stew.  How could Nageki enjoy something like that?

               “It’s not all bad.  The songs themselves are fun; you might like it.”

               “Yes!  How about I show you after dinner?”

               Hitori paused, contemplating the idea.  “Sure.”

               “This is going to be so much fun!”

 

               Kazuaki examined the way Hitori was holding his phone, lent so he could show him how the game worked.  “Yep, just like that!  Now, let’s find an easy song to start with.  Scroll down…”  After a few moments of scrolling he said, “That one’s good.  Now just tap it, choose a friend team, and then choose a team!  Since this is a Moon song, choose a team with Moon cards!”

               Hitori nodded and chose a random friend team.  Looking at the team the screen showed him, however, showed him no Moon cards; he swiped a few times until he found an appropriate team already built.  “You have a lot of teams.”

               “For all different purposes!  Now, start!”

               He hit the start button, hoping he’d do well; Nageki was peering over his shoulder, after all, and he wouldn’t want Kazuaki to go to this effort for nothing.  However, a flurry of notes came across the screen; he couldn’t keep up.  “This is…”

               “Did you change the difficulty level?” Nageki asked.  “This looks like the expert beat map.”

               Kazuaki’s eyes widened and started to tear up.  “I… I didn’t, did I?”  He looked to Hitori, tears rolling down his face.  “I’m so sorry!”

               “It’s okay, it’s—Oh, please don’t cry; it was a mistake.”

               “I make so many of—”

               “Everyone makes mistakes.  Please, don’t worry about it.”  He passed the phone back to Kazuaki.  “I don’t know how to change the difficulty level, but I’d like to try again.”

               He paused for a moment, although he was still crying.  “I… I can do that.”  He took the phone, tapped a few times, and passed it back to Hitori.  “I’ve set everything up for you!  You can start whenever you’re ready.”

               Hitori’s eyebrows went up as he examined the screen.  “Thank you.”  With that he focused on the screen and hit the start button.  It proved to be fairly easy and he was lulled into the rhythm well enough that he barely noticed when he finished the song.

               “A full combo?  On your first playthrough?  You’re a natural at this!”

               Hitori stared at the screen and the rainbow text reading, “Full Combo!”  “I don’t know what I expected, but that was pretty fun.  Thanks.”

               “Maybe you could download it too,” Nageki said.  “There are a lot more songs.”

               The screen had switched to a look at the experience gained by the team members.  Hitori couldn’t help but stare at one of them; the young man in the picture looked just like Kazuaki.  “Maybe I will.”

 

               On their way out of the school the next day Kazuaki asked, “Did you download it?”

               Hitori nodded.  “Ayumu.  He looks a lot like you.”

               Kazuaki rubbed the back of his neck, a blush rising to his cheeks.  “I’m not nearly that cute.”

               “You’re too hard on yourself.”

               “You’re just too nice.”  The two of them kept walking until Kazuaki stopped in his tracks, his blush growing stronger.  “Now that I think about it, Haru looks just like you!”

               He stopped.  “Haru?  I don’t think I’ve gotten a copy of him yet.”

               “Really?”  He pulled his phone from his pocket and pressed a button, passing it to Hitori.  “That’s him.”

               The picture on the phone’s lock screen really did look like him, to Hitori’s surprise.  “You’re right… but why is he your lock screen?”

               Kazuaki gave a nervous laugh.  “He’s… kind of my best boy.”

               “Best boy?”

               “My favorite, only better than a favorite… uh… I’m not sure how to explain it.”

               “I see…”

               “You’ll understand; I’m sure you’ll end up with one soon.”

               He nodded, needing a moment to figure out what to say.  “It’s nice, being able to understand the things you like.”

               “Really?  You mean you like getting closer to me?”

               He smiled.  “Yes.”

 

               By the day before Legumentine’s Day, Hitori what a best boy was.  He knew it was impractical and it didn’t make much sense, but every time he looked at Ayumu he felt a strange thrill run through him and he was willing to protect him any way he could.  The catch was, he didn’t find Ayumu interesting as a character; he didn’t even like his singing voice that much.

               So, what was it?

               Kazuaki’s voice heralded his entrance to the staff room and broke his thought process.  “Ayumu’s the second five-star of the Legumentine’s Day set!”

               He turned his head.  “Really?”

               He nodded and fiddled with his phone for a moment; when he turned the screen toward Hitori it displayed Ayumu in a fancy, Legumentine’s Day themed outfit.  “Nice, right?”

               He nodded, alarm building in him as he realized that looking at Ayumu only made him think of Kazuaki.

               Was… was he in love?

               “A—are you okay?”

               He blinked a few times.  “Of course.  Why wouldn’t I be?”

               “You looked kind of scared.  If you’re scared then I get scared because if something manages to scare you it’ll scare me too…”

               “No, it’s nothing.  I do think I should check in on Nageki though…”  A white lie wouldn’t hurt, right?

               “Of course, of course!  Well, I’ll see you tomorrow; I hope you get Ayumu!”  He waved and left the staff room.

               He got his phone from his satchel and sent a text to Nageki.The conversation followed the usual lines for a few minutes until Hitori finally got up the nerve to mention his plight.

               **Uzune Hitori:** How do people choose best boys?

               It took a moment for Nageki to reply but his response sent Hitori reeling.

               **Nageki** : You just figured out why you like Ayumu so much, didn’t you?

               Was it that obvious?  Was it really that obvious?  This was awkward, embarrassing even.

               **Nageki:** It’s okay; I’ve known for a while.

               His hands shaking, Hitori did his best to come up with a response.

               **Uzune Hitori:** I didn’t.

               **Nageki:** It’s a good time to figure it out though.  Legumentine’s is tomorrow.

               He nodded despite Nageki not being able to see it.  He could get Kazuaki some beans or corn or something; the worst that would happen was that he’d be rejected and Kazuaki would have a Legumentine’s gift.  Had Kazuaki ever gotten one before?  Well, now he would.

               **Nageki:** He won’t reject you.

               **Uzune Hitori:**???

               **Nageki:** Trust me.

 

               The next day Hitori showed up to work early, his work satchel over one shoulder and a bag of calm corn in hand.  He set it down on the shelf and took a deep breath as he reread the inscription on the tag one more time: _Will you be my best boy?_

               “I knew you would be here early!”

               He startled at the sound of Kazuaki’s voice.  “Don’t you usually get here later?”

               “I know you always get here early and… I, uh, wanted to talk to you.”  He was blushing as he set his things down and pulled a bag of country millet from his backpack.  “I know… I know I’m kind of a crybaby… and I’m always anxious, so I don’t blame you if you reject me, but… happy Legumentine’s.  I know you like millet.”

               Hitori’s eyes widened.  Nageki had been right.  “I have something for you too.”  He took the corn from the shelf and held it out for Kazuaki to take, hoping the gift would speak for itself.

               He stared at it for a moment and then took it, examining the tag.  “Are… are you sure?”

               He nodded.

               “If you’re sure… of course!”

He smiled.  “I’m glad.”  Who needed a gacha card?  He had just gotten his best boy anyway.


End file.
